The Washington critic., 1887-05-10
FAMOUS AMERICAN SISTERS.
or Humble Origin, But Now OF tho
English Nobility.

or Humble Origin, But Now OF tho
English Nobility.
An interesting sketch of two noted Ameri.
can women, Victoria @. Woodruff, now the
wife OF Sir John Biddulph Martip, wealthy
London banker, and Tennie G. Cllniu, the
wife Of Sir Francis Cook, appears in a
recent issue OF the New Albany (Ind.) Pub-
Tic Press, from the pen Of Mr.. W. II. Burr
Of this city.
Victoria Claln, the elder Of tho two sis.
tiers, was born In Homer, Ohio, September
20, 1888. Her parents were poor aud cruel.
She was household drudge and hid little
tchooling. From early childhood she was
spirit medium. She would talk with her
deceased sisters as girl tattles to her dolls.
As she grew older her chief angelic visitor
was Demostheres, who prophesied that
che would rise to great distiection, would
win great wealth In a commercial city,
would publish lou nal, and would at last
become ruler Of her people.
In her fourteenth year she was married to
Dr. Canning Woodruff, who was twice her
age. He was drunken rake. In fifteen
months she became the mother of a half
idiotic boy. They migrated to California,
where she was employed to do sewing for
an actress, but was soon Induced to go
upon the stage.
After six weeks service as an actress she
returned TO Columbus, Ohio, by the advice
OF her spirit guides, and then began
profitable career as spiritual medium. Her
earnings were said to amount to nearly
100000 In one year, and by 1869, when the
spirits directed her to discontinue that
calling, II is alleged that she had accum-
ulated 100000.
In April, 1861, daughter was born to
her, In answer to prayer, but the father
was MIR. Woodruff. Unable to endure him
any longer she procured 0 divorce, and
some time afterward married Colonel james
ii. Blood. The legal tie was afterward an-
nulled by mutual consent, but the relation
OF husband and wife was openly avowed.
Poor dissipated DR.. Woodruff In few
months came to the house of the new
couple and was charitably taken in and
supported until he died.
In 1865 her spirit guide Demosthenes ap-
peared to her In Pittsburg and commanded
her to go to New York, where she would
find, at II Great Jones street, house In
readiness for her. She obeyed, and, on
entering the furnished house, reached out
her hand In the library. and, taking up
hook by chance, found 1t to be "The Ora
tions OF Demosthenes."
In 1869 appeared lI'O0dhm and CldRin's
Weekly and the firm of Woodruff, Claln 8:
Go. In Wall street. The "Co." was Colonel
D.- ID.
One night in December of that year
Demosthenes came to her In dream, and,
sitting by her bedside, wrote out docu.
ment which was soon after submitted to the
Judiciary Committee Of the House OF Rep.
resentatiyes as "Tbe Memorial Of Victoria
G. Woodhull," claiming the right OF women
to vote under the Fourteenth Amendment.
nd hu In mt
delivered by the memorialist to one of the
largest audiences ever assembled In the
Capitol. 1t was Yictoria's maiden speech,
and as she began 1t with much trepidation,
she remembered that 1t was fulflllment Of
prediction by her Demosthenes.
The leading champions of Woman's Sut-
frage supported the memorial and succeeded
In making converts Of two members Of the
committee, namely, Benjamin +. Butler and
Judge Loughridge.
In 1870 Mrs. Woodruff nominated herself
for the presidency. and In 1872 the nomlna'
tion was seconded by the Equal Rights
party in New York.
In 1871 she was elected President Of the
National Association OF spiritualists, and in
September, 1879, she was again chosen to
the Office under remarkable circumstances
She went to the meeting at Boston intending
to decline nomination. All at once she
was seized with gust Of Inspiration and
poured forth in rhapsody the details oi
the Beecher-1ilton scandal. Unconscious
of what she said, she was told that she
uttered some naughty and protane words.
But the audience were spellbound. and one
listener told her that she "swore diyinely."
In the enthusiasm created by that divine
aillatus, Mrs. Woodruff was reelected pres
ident OF the association.
Prior to this time intmations oLthe scan
dal had appeared in the newspapers eman'
atipg from her. In August, 1872, she was
interviewed by q reporter, but as the inter.
view did not appear In print she rewrote II
from her own notes and published 1t in hel
own paper of November 9, 1872. No sooner
was the paper Issued than the whole edition
was seized and the publishers imprisoned
But they had stolen march on the powers
that be by first sending of the mall edition.
That Henry Ward Beecher and his sister
Mrs. Isabella Beecher-lIooker, together
women, were ardent admirers Of Mrs. Wood
hull, cannot be denied.
In 1876 the two sisters went to England
where, In 1881, they published IPoOdhdL
and Clafin's JoHna. (note the change Ii
her name to WoodhalD, and now Mrs
Woodruff Blood. Woodhall has become
Lady Martin and her sister Tennle has be
come Lady Cook. But they both seem t.
have repudiated their former free-love doc
trne. In 1881 Mrs, Woodruff, through
her Journal, denied that she ever favoret
free love, cursed her late husband, Colone
Blood, for making her seem to and de
nouncld Stephen Pearl Audr,ws as 18Th
originator OF the most imme isuraDle 10
fanny that ever formed plague-stone II
tn temple OF humanity, Pantarchic fire.
love-"
ihe prophecy Of Demostheues seems +
have been mostly fulfilled In regard to Mrs
Woodruff. She has published journal 4
two great commercial cities, she ha
achieved the highest success as a writer an,
lecturer, and she is now the wife OF
wealthy English banker, unless her mai
rage to Colonel Blood, which has never ye
leen annulled by law, still holds good Il
this country and Is recognized by the Eng
lsh courts.
When Mrs. Woodruff became Lady Mar
tin In 1855 1t was announced that her slstel
TeHnie, was also going to marry title
Englishman, and that the two retornei
would doubtless visit their native colntr
fIom tune to time. Next year Is our Pres
dental election, and what If We should 81
The Wall street sybil nominated as thir
party candidate, and, Ia fuliiIlment OF I'll
prophecy OF DemostheGes, become the rul,
u htr former people?
The HRby Ended the Alphabet.